Chapter 77

"Are you... the Fourteenth Prince of the Great Hao, Xiao Sheng!" This was the first thing Wen Dahai said after waking up.

"Was it you who saved me from that so-called Son of the Eastern Wasteland that night?" This was the second thing Wen Dahai said after waking up.

"Gratitude lasts a thousand years. I, Wen Dahai, am not the kind of person who forgets kindness. Since you saved me, very well. From now on, my over three hundred pounds will belong to you, the Fourteenth Prince. As long as it's not about killing my daughter, even if you ask me to cut down my wife, I will do it without a second thought, roll up my sleeves, and get it done!" This was the third and fourth thing Wen Dahai said after waking up.

Xiao Sheng, hearing this, couldn't help but laugh and said, "Tiger Shark Marquis, I didn't know you were so good at telling jokes. Why would I want to cut down your wife for no reason? Alright. You just woke up, and your spirit must not be fully recovered. You should rest more. We can talk about everything else after you've fully recovered."

Wen Dahai nodded and immediately changed from a sitting position to a lying position, lying down again. In just a blink, he was already snoring, falling back into a deep sleep.

Xiao Sheng shook his head, turned back, and smiled, "Military Advisor, it seems that before Wen Dahai recovers from his injuries, you will have to temporarily move out of here."

"No problem. I'll temporarily move to the front," Yu Xuanyi said calmly. "Bamboo beds are breathable and easy to clean, making them the best for patients to recover. Once Wen Dahai recovers, we can find someone to dismantle and rebuild this bamboo house. It won't be much trouble."

Xiao Sheng knew that Yu Xuanyi had a slight obsession with cleanliness. For all personal items she used, such as bowls, chopsticks, cups, beds, and bedding, she would never let others touch them even a little. Once someone touched them, the female military advisor would immediately and without hesitation throw them away and replace them with new ones. Therefore, when he heard her say she would dismantle and rebuild the bamboo house, Xiao Sheng didn't find it strange at all; instead, he thought it was only natural.

Xiao Sheng casually waved his hand and took out the extremely rare and precious Heavenly Star Earth Spirit, which was as large as a water buffalo's head. Instantly, the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. The shimmering green light illuminated the entire space in a bluish-green hue. But that wasn't all. Immediately after, Xiao Sheng also took out the Evil Emperor Sarira and placed it next to the Heavenly Star Earth Spirit on the ground.

The Fourteenth Prince smiled with trust and said, "The task of creating defensive ornaments to counter the God-Slaying Curse and using the Evil Emperor Sarira to impersonate the Netherworld Pearl, I'll leave to you, Military Advisor. I left the Ten Princes' Mansion for three whole days without even a word. Ling Zilei and Lord Guan must be worried sick. I should return now."

Yu Xuanyi nodded calmly and said, "Your Highness, please go. When you need me, use the Two-World Whistle. I have already removed the original mental restrictions belonging to the Ye family and replaced them with new ones. Once it is blown, only you and I can hear it, and only we can activate the restrictions to use the ability to cross realms."

Xiao Sheng understood and bowed in farewell, then left the Guose Tower.

Back in the palace, as he had expected, Lord Guan and Ling Zilei were already as anxious as ants on a hot pan. Seeing him return suddenly, they were overjoyed and rushed forward to ask what had happened.

There was no need to tell Ling Zilei about the various causes and effects of the Son of the Eastern Wasteland. Saying it would only add to her worries and would not help the situation. So Xiao Sheng laughed it off and casually brushed it aside.

After struggling in the lava lake of Jinding Mountain for so long, to be honest, Xiao Sheng had indeed reached a certain limit both physically and mentally. Cultivating martial arts certainly requires a burst of energy and vigorous advancement. But the balance between tension and relaxation is equally important.

Therefore, Xiao Sheng had Lord Guan find someone to heat water, and he took a comfortable bath, changed into clean clothes, and then enjoyed a delicious meal. After that, he went to bed to rest. When he woke up, he was immediately refreshed and back to his best peak condition.

Reflecting on his experience of cultivating in the lava over the past few days, Xiao Sheng had a sudden realization. He placed his hands behind his back, walked to the courtyard under a big tree, and closed his eyes to meditate.

Martial arts cultivation starts with physical training, then progresses to mental training. The physical body has limits, but the mind has no limits. No matter how much the physical body is trained, it remains that of an ordinary person. Therefore, it is necessary to train the mind to communicate with the mysterious and indescribable great power. By borrowing the strength of this great power, one can strengthen the mind, which in turn nourishes the physical body. Finally, the two merge to reach the ideal "other shore."

A martial artist who has cultivated to the third level of martial arts, "Five Qi Converging to the Origin," has a physical body that is extremely powerful. They can exhale to form arrows and channel energy like thunder. In battle, they are already invincible warriors. However, compared to a master at the "Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown" level, they appear extremely weak.

This is because the master has already entered the realm of the mind. Before the fist moves, the soul is already severed. They can control the minds of the weak and even kill enemies with their aura. With a single thought, they can predict fortune and misfortune, thus avoiding danger and never encountering peril.

However, no matter how profound a master's cultivation is, they cannot transform the intangible mind into tangible matter. Whether it's severing the soul with a fist or killing enemies with aura, it remains intangible. If they encounter an enemy of equal cultivation, these mental techniques will be difficult to use. In the end, they will have to fight the enemy with real punches and kicks.

But a grandmaster is different. At the fifth level of martial arts, "Martial Intent Substantiation," one can transform the intangible mind into tangible physical existence. To reach this level, one must first find their own "path" and "principle," then open the door that exists in the mysterious realm, transforming the mind into substance.

This is a profound and mysterious principle. Without reaching this level, one can never imagine its subtleties. To the layman, they only know that a master at the third level of the mind can deliver a punch with sixteen tons of force, while a grandmaster at the first level of the mysterious realm can deliver a punch with sixty-four tons of force. But how sixteen tons becomes sixty-four tons, and the underlying principle, is something few people can understand, let alone comprehend.

Strictly speaking, Xiao Sheng has not yet fully understood this principle. Although, when he exerts his full strength, he can also deliver a punch with sixty-four tons of force. This is not related to his cultivation level but is purely because the "True Ripple Immortal Dao" he practices allows him to train his physical body more deeply and thoroughly than ordinary martial artists, thus enabling him to achieve the strength of a grandmaster at the master level.

However, this is only in terms of physical strength. In terms of mental cultivation, Xiao Sheng does not yet have the ability to transform the mind into substance. Undoubtedly, the Son of the Eastern Wasteland has already reached the grandmaster level and can transform the mind into substance. In terms of cultivation level, he is above Xiao Sheng.

Indeed, the path of the Son of the Eastern Wasteland is filled with ambition and tyranny, and his arrogance is almost absurd. If he truly realizes his path, it will surely be a disaster for all living beings. But in essence, a path is a path. Once obtained, it is a path.

The path itself has no distinction of good or evil, only differences in depth of understanding. As long as one finds their own principle and adheres to it, even the most wicked can possess incredible power. As long as the power is sufficient, even the most absurd and incomprehensible fantasies can have a chance to become reality.

Therefore, to defeat the Son of the Eastern Wasteland, Xiao Sheng must find his own path. He doesn't need to fully open the door, but at least he must push it open a little.

Only those who understand why they fight are true strong people.

What is Xiao Sheng's path?

At the beginning, Xiao Sheng started cultivating martial arts for a very simple reason: to have the basic ability to protect himself. In the simplest terms, it was out of fear of death.

Between life and death, there is great terror.

But between life and death, there is also great wisdom and profound mystery.

Xiao Sheng has faced countless life-and-death situations and has always managed to overcome them. He can even borrow the power of the heavens to transcend calamities and create martial arts. His efforts to uncover the truth behind his mother's death, helping Ling Zilei escape the Netherworld Pearl, and everything he has done, are all related to